The opportunity to move quickly through the ranks and build a career in your chosen field is something that ambitious individuals look for in return for drive, commitment and passion.
I’m passionate about the future of the industry and I’d like to make a difference to education in the sector to improve with its sustainability.
Helen Bailey FIQ, FIAT, FHEA Managing Director, The Driven Company Associates Ltd
[fa icon="quote-right"]From starting out in the industry to making a career of it, Helen Bailey, 33, is managing director of The Driven Company Associates Ltd, UK, a technical consultancy supporting asset owners, clients and contractors with the development of engineered solutions in construction materials, with a focus on highways.
Helen says: “Whilst I studied Architectural Engineering at The University of Leeds, and so had a desire to be around construction, the world of materials and more specifically, asphalt, probably found me. Like many in this industry, it was sheer good luck. Just over 10 years ago my PhD supervisor suggested I take a ‘holiday’ from study and try working at Aggregate Industries research and development facilities in 2006.”
Since then Helen has never looked back; joining the industry as a senior asphalt researcher at Aggregate Industries she quickly progressed to research manager whilst completing her PhD at the same time with the company, before joining Gaia Enviro Tech and subsequently TRL in 2012 as technical development manager.
Driven by name, driven by nature. As Helen comes into her third year of business she explains that “the company was part borne out of my desire to progress in the industry at a time when the role I was looking for didn’t necessarily exist so what better way to gain experience and progress than creating my own role?”
She now works all over the UK, as well as internationally and has been invited to speak in Poland, Mexico and Dubai, and had the pleasure of accompanying the Institute of Quarrying on a number of overseas joint ventures.
Membership of the Institute of Quarrying was a natural choice for Helen, providing access to valuable networking opportunities and professional development programmes, as well as opening doors to deliver guest lectures on behalf of IQ. These have included presentations in the US and Far East as part of IQ’s international team.
Helen is also a senior lecturer at the Centre for Mineral Products Professional Development at the University of Derby: “I’m passionate about the future of the industry and I’d like to make a difference to education in the sector to improve with its sustainability.
“Very rarely are two days ever the same. It’s great being in a sector where there is opportunity to innovate, challenge thinking and break norms. Opportunities are open for all if you have self-belief, remain determined, ambitious and motivated.”
For more than 100 years the Institute of Quarrying has been supporting people working in the mineral products industry. We are the only professional body with the history, knowledge and international experience to advise both individuals and businesses about the skills, training and personal development needs required to build successful industry careers.
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